Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County, a program of The Ohio State University College of Social Work, celebrated five years of community engagement and advocacy aimed at improving quality of life for older adults.
With Central Ohio's senior population set to double in the next 35 years, planning for age-friendly cities now can have a powerful impact on the region's livability for a growing segment of its population. The Age-Friendly Columbus program spent the last five years surveying older adults, cataloging community assets, and identifying and implementing possible solutions that make cities more livable for seniors.
Age-Friendly Columbus used World Health Organization and AARP guidelines to assess community needs and produce suggestions for improvements in transportation, public space and land use, housing, and other key areas that affect quality of life for the elderly. The project's organizers sought extensive community input and piloted a number of projects that they hope will pave the way to future improvements. Their suggested interventions address mobility challenges, housing affordability and accessibility, and emergency preparation. One project already underway offers free transportation for senior citizens to key locations including a local library, the YMCA, and pharmacy. From relatively simple fixes like providing informational resources in more languages to policy changes such as tax credits for accessible home modifications, the group's findings suggest a variety of ways that cities can adapt to the needs of an aging population.
FULL STORY: Age Friendly Columbus Looks Back At Its First 5 Years
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research